San Diego County, California

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This article is about the County of San Diego, California. For the city in the county by the same name, see San Diego. For other uses, see San Diego (disambiguation).
County of San Diego
—  County  —

Seal
Location in the state of California
California's location in the United States
Country USA
State California
Formed February 18, 1850[1]
county seat San Diego
largest city San Diego
Government
 • Type Council–manager
 • Body Board of Supervisors
 • Board of Supervisors
 • Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer
Area
 • Total 4,525.52 sq mi (11,721.0 km2)
 • Land 4,199.89 sq mi (10,877.7 km2)
 • Water 325.62 sq mi (843.4 km2)
Population (2010 Census)
 • Total 3,095,313
 • Density Bad rounding here680/sq mi (Bad rounding here260/km2)
Time zone Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7)
Website sdcounty.ca.gov

San Diego County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. It is the most southwestern county in the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, San Diego County had a population of 3,095,313 people, making it the second most populous county in California- first being Los Angeles County.

San Diego County has 70 miles (110 km) of coastline. It has a mild Mediterranean to semi-arid climate.[2] There is also 16 significant naval and military locations of the United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard, including Naval Base San Diego, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and Naval Air Station North Island.

San Diego County defines the metropolitan statistical area of San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, and in its metropolitan capacity as Greater San Diego. San Diego County is also part of the San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. This area, having about five million people, is the largest metropolitan area shared between the United States and Mexico.

Arising from an effort by the state government to identify regional economies, San Diego County and Imperial County are part of the Southern Border Region, one of nine such regions. As a regional economy, the Southern Border Region is the smallest but most economically diverse region in the state. However, the two counties maintain weak relations and have little in common aside from their border proximity.[3]

From north to south, San Diego County extends from the southern borders of San Clemente (Orange County) and Temecula (Riverside County) to the US-Mexico International Border and Tijuana. From east to west, San Diego County stretches from the Pacific Ocean to Imperial County.

Contents

History[edit]

Main article: History of San Diego

The area which is now San Diego County has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years by Kumeyaay (also called Diegueño), Luiseño, Cupeño and Cahuilla Indians.[4]

In 1542, Portuguese-born explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, sailing for Spain, claimed San Diego Bay for the Spanish Empire and named the site San Miguel.[5] In November of 1602, Sebastián Vizcaíno surveyed the harbor and what are now Mission Bay and Point Loma and named the area for Saint Didacus, a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego.[6] European settlement in what is now San Diego County began with the founding of the San Diego Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcalá by Spanish soldiers and clerics in 1769.[7] This county was part of Alta California under the Viceroyalty of New Spain until the Mexican revolution. From 1821 through 1848 this area was part of Mexico.

San Diego County became part of the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, ending the U.S.-Mexican War. This treaty designated the new border as terminating at a point on the Pacific Ocean coast which would result in the border passing one Spanish league south of the southernmost portion of San Diego Bay, thus ensuring that the United States received all of this natural harbor.

San Diego County was one of the original counties of California, and it was created at the time of California statehood in 1850.[8]

At the time of its establishment in 1850, San Diego County was relatively large, and included all of southernmost California which was south and east of Los Angeles County. As such it included areas of what are now Inyo County and San Bernardino County, as well as all of what is now Riverside County and Imperial County.[8]

During the later part of the 19th century, there were numerous changes in the boundaries of San Diego County, when various areas became separated for the counties mentioned above. The most recent changes were the establishments of Riverside County in 1893[9] and Imperial County in 1907.[10] Imperial County was also the last county to be established in California, and after this division, San Diego no longer extended from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River, and it no longer covered the entire border between California and Mexico.

Geography[edit]

North County communities. Coastal cities are in dark blue, unincorporated coastal communities are in light blue. Inland cities are in dark yellow, unincorporated inland communities are in light yellow.

*This map does not show neighborhoods of the city of San Diego that are considered to be part of North County, such as Del Mar Heights, Rancho Peñasquitos, and Rancho Bernardo)
*Some areas in white in this general region that are in white would be also considered part of North County, but only cities and unincorporated communities are colored on this map.
East County communities in red. In dark red are the cities and towns of Santee and El Cajon which mark the western edge of East County. Unincorporated communities are in light red, including Lakeside and Alpine.
South Bay communities of San Diego County. The cities and towns of National City, Chula Vista, and Imperial Beach are in dark orange. The unincorporated community of Bonita is in light orange. San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, neighborhoods of the city of San Diego, are in pink.

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 4,525.52 square miles (11,721.0 km2), of which 4,199.89 square miles (10,877.7 km2) (or 92.80%) is land and 325.62 square miles (843.4 km2) (or 7.20%) is water.[11] The county is larger in area than the combined states of Rhode Island and Delaware.[12]

San Diego County has a varied topography. On its western side is 70 miles (110 km) of coastline.[13] Most of San Diego between the coast and the Laguna Mountains consists of hills, mesas, and small canyons. Snow-capped (in winter) mountains rise to the northeast, with the Sonoran Desert to the far east. Cleveland National Forest is spread across the central portion of the county, while the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park occupies most of the northeast. Although the western third of the county is primarily urban, the mountains and deserts in the eastern two-thirds of the county consist primarily of undeveloped backcountry. Most of these backcountry areas are home to a native plant community known as chaparral. San Diego County contains more than a million acres (4,000 km²) of chaparral, twice as much as any other California county.[14]

North San Diego County is known as North County; the exact geographic definitions of "North County" vary, but it includes the northern suburbs and sometimes certain northern neighborhoods of the City of San Diego.

The eastern suburbs are collectively known as East County, though most still lie in the western third of the county. The southern suburbs and southern detached portion of the city of San Diego, extending to the Mexican border, are collectively referred to as South Bay.

Periodically the area has been subject to wildfires that force thousands to evacuate. The most recent have been the Cedar Fire in 2003 and the Witch Creek Fire in 2007. California defines a fire season in which fires are most likely to occur, usually between the months of late July and late October (which are the driest months of the area). Signs are posted in numerous spots of the county providing information on the level of threats from fires based on weather conditions.[citation needed]

Climate[edit]

Main article: Climate of San Diego, California
Cleveland National Forest

Under the Köppen climate classification system, the San Diego area straddles areas of Mediterranean climate (CSa) to the north and semi-arid climate (BSh) to the south and east.[15] As a result, its often described as "arid Mediterranean" and "semi-arid steppe". San Diego's climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters with most of the annual precipitation falling between November and March. The city has mild, mostly dry weather, with an average of 201 days above 70 °F (21 °C) and low rainfall (9–13 inches (23–33 cm) annually). Summer temperatures are generally warm, with average highs of 70–78 °F (21–26 °C) and lows of 55–66 °F (13–19 °C). Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) only four days a year. Most rainfall occurs from November to April. Winter temperatures are mild, with average high temperatures of 66–70 °F (19–21 °C) and lows of 50–56 °F (10–13 °C).

The climate in the San Diego area, like much of California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances resulting in microclimates. In San Diego's case this is mainly due to the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the "May gray/June gloom" period, a thick marine layer will keep the air cool and damp within a few miles of the coast, but will yield to bright cloudless sunshine approximately 5–10 miles (8.0–16 km) inland. This happens every year in May and June.[16] Even in the absence of June gloom, inland areas tend to experience much more significant temperature variations than coastal areas, where the ocean serves as a moderating influence. Thus, for example, downtown San Diego averages January lows of 50 °F (10 °C) and August highs of 78 °F (26 °C). The city of El Cajon, just 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown San Diego, averages January lows of 42 °F (6 °C) and August highs of 88 °F (31 °C).[17][18]

Rainfall along the coast averages about 10 inches (25 cm) of precipitation annually, which occurs mainly during the cooler months of December through April. Though there are few wet days per month during the rainy period, rainfall can be heavy when it does fall. However, the rainfall is greater in the higher elevations of San Diego. Some of the higher areas of San Diego can receive 11–13 inches (28–33 cm) of rain a year.


Climate data for San Diego (San Diego Airport)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 65.1
(18.4)		 65.0
(18.3)		 65.6
(18.7)		 67.5
(19.7)		 68.5
(20.3)		 70.8
(21.6)		 74.6
(23.7)		 76.4
(24.7)		 75.9
(24.4)		 72.8
(22.7)		 69.0
(20.6)		 64.7
(18.2)		 69.7
(20.9)
Average low °F (°C) 49.0
(9.4)		 50.7
(10.4)		 53.2
(11.8)		 55.9
(13.3)		 59.4
(15.2)		 62.0
(16.7)		 65.4
(18.6)		 66.7
(19.3)		 65.2
(18.4)		 60.6
(15.9)		 53.6
(12)		 48.4
(9.1)		 57.5
(14.2)
Rainfall inches (mm) 1.98
(50.3)		 2.27
(57.7)		 1.81
(46)		 0.78
(19.8)		 0.12
(3)		 0.07
(1.8)		 0.03
(0.8)		 0.02
(0.5)		 0.15
(3.8)		 0.57
(14.5)		 1.00
(25.4)		 1.53
(38.9)		 10.33
(262.4)
Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.01 in) 6.7 7.1 6.5 4.0 1.4 0.8 0.7 0.4 1.2 2.8 4.1 5.8 41.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 239.3 227.4 261.0 276.2 250.5 242.4 304.7 295.0 253.3 243.4 230.1 231.3 3,054.6
Source: NOAA (normals 1981–2010, sun 1961–1990)[19][20]


Largest cities in San Diego County by population[edit]

Largest cities (2010 census population):

Largest towns, 2010 Census
City Population
San Diego
1,307,402
Chula Vista
243,916
Oceanside
183,095
Escondido
143,911
Carlsbad
105,328
El Cajon
99,478
Vista
93,834
San Marcos
83,781
Encinitas
59,518
National City
58,582
La Mesa
57,065

Cities and towns in San Diego County[edit]

Incorporated cities and towns

Many of the cities seen from the sky as part of the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area.

Unincorporated communities

Indian reservations[edit]

San Diego County has 18 federally recognized Indian reservations, more than any other county in the United States.[21] Although they are typical in size to other Indian reservations in California (many of which are termed "Rancherías"), they are relatively tiny by national standards,[citation needed] and all together total 200.2 square miles (518.5 km²) of area.

Boundaries (counties and municipalities)[edit]

Counties adjacent to San Diego County, California

National protected areas[edit]

  • Cabrillo National Monument
  • Cleveland National Forest (part)
  • San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes several individual wildlife refuge areas:[22]
    • San Diego Bay South Bay
    • San Diego Bay Sweetwater Marsh
    • Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge
    • Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (located in Orange County)
    • San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
    • Vernal Pools

State parks and protected areas[edit]

Mountains[edit]

There are 236 mountain summits and peaks in San Diego County[23] including:

Bays and lagoons[edit]

Lakes[edit]

  • Natural Rock Tanks
  • Little Laguna Lake
  • Big Laguna Lake
  • Big Lake
  • Twin Lakes
  • Jean, Lake
  • Lost Lake
  • Swan Lake
  • Lake Miramar
  • Lake Poway
  • Dixon Lake

Rivers[edit]

Transportation and infrastructure[edit]

Main article: Transportation in San Diego County

Major highways[edit]

Border crossings to Mexico[edit]

San Ysidro Border Crossing
Otay Mesa Border Crossing
Tecate Border Crossing

Railroads[edit]

AMTRAK (Pacific Surfliner)
Metrolink
The Coaster
San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway
San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad

Light rail and local transit[edit]

San Diego Trolley
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
Sprinter
North County Transit District

The Port of San Diego[edit]

Embarcadero (San Diego)

Primary Civilian Airports[edit]

Education[edit]

San Diego County contains three public state universities: University of California, San Diego; San Diego State University; and California State University, San Marcos. Major private universities in the county include University of San Diego (USD), Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU), Alliant International University (AIU), and National University.

Within the county there are 24 public elementary school districts, 6 high school districts, and 12 unified school districts. There are also 5 community college districts.[24]

There are two separate public library systems in San Diego County: the San Diego Public Library serving the city of San Diego, and the San Diego County Library serving all other areas of the county. In 2010 the county library had 33 branches and two bookmobiles; circulated over 10.7 million books, CDs, DVDs, and other material formats; recorded 5.7 million visits to library branches; and hosted 21,132 free programs and events. The San Diego County Library is one of the 25 busiest libraries in the nation as measured by materials circulated.[25][26]

Economy[edit]

Tourism[edit]

Horton Plaza

Tourism plays a large part in the economics of the San Diego metropolitan area. Tourists are drawn to the region for a well rounded experience, everything from shopping to surfing as well as its mild climate. Its numerous tourist destinations include Horton Plaza, Westfield UTC, Seaport Village, Westfield Mission Valley and Fashion Valley Mall for shopping. SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland California as amusement parks. Golf courses such as Torrey Pines Golf Course and Balboa Park Golf Course. Museums such as the San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego Museum of Art, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego Natural History Museum, and the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Historical places such as the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Wildlife refuges, zoos, and aquariums such as the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, San Diego Zoo's Safari Park, San Diego Zoo and San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park. Outdoor destinations include the Peninsular Ranges for hiking, biking, mountainboarding and trail riding. Surfing locations include Swami's, Stone Steps Beach, Torrey Pines State Beach, Cardiff State Beach, San Onofre State Beach and the southern portion of Black's Beach.

The region is host to the second largest cruise ship industry in California which generates an estimated $2 million annually from purchases of food, fuel, supplies, and maintenance services.[27] In 2008 the Port of San Diego hosted 252 ship calls and more than 800,000 passengers.[28]

Military[edit]

USS Decatur (DDG-73)

San Diego is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Eleventh Naval District and is the Navy's principal location for West Coast and Pacific Ocean operations.[29] Naval Base San Diego, California is principal home to the Pacific Fleet (although the headquarters is located in Pearl Harbor). NAS North Island is located on the north side of Coronado, and is home to Headquarters for Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force Pacific, the bulk of the Pacific Fleet's helicopter squadrons, and part of the West Coast aircraft carrier fleet.

The Naval Special Warfare Center is the primary training center for SEALs, and is also located on Coronado. The area contains five major naval bases and the U.S. Marines base Camp Pendleton. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base.[30] It is located on the Southern California coast, bordered by Oceanside to the south, San Clemente to the north, and Fallbrook to the east.

U.S. Navy[edit]

U.S. Marine Corps[edit]

U.S. Coast Guard[edit]

Culture[edit]

Sports[edit]

Team Sport League Venue
San Diego Padres Baseball Major League Baseball PETCO Park
San Diego Chargers Football National Football League Qualcomm Stadium

Sites of interest[edit]

Media[edit]

Newspapers[edit]

San Diego County is served by many newspapers. The major regional paper is The San Diego Union-Tribune, which is ranked 25th in the country.[31] The Union-Tribune serves both San Diego County and neighboring Imperial County. Major local newspapers include the North County Times, based in Escondido and serving portions of Riverside County and North County. The Los Angeles Times is also delivered. Many of the area's cities and towns have their own local newspapers.

Law, government and politics[edit]

Government[edit]

Main articles: Government of San Diego County, California and Government of California

The Government of San Diego County is defined and authorized under the California Constitution, California law, and the Charter of the County of San Diego.[32] Much of the Government of California is in practice the responsibility of county governments such as the Government of San Diego County. The County government provides countywide services such as elections and voter registration, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, and social services. In addition the County serves as the local government for all unincorporated areas.[33] Some chartered cities such as San Diego and Chula Vista provide municipal services such as police, public safety, libraries, parks and recreation, and zoning. Other cities such as Del Mar and Vista arrange to have the County provide some or all of these services on a contract basis.

The county government is composed of the elected five-member Board of Supervisors, several other elected offices and officers including the Sheriff, the District Attorney, Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk, and Treasurer/Tax Collector, and numerous county departments and entities under the supervision of the Chief Administrative Officer such as the Probation Department. In addition, several entities of the government of California have jurisdiction conterminous with San Diego County, such as the San Diego Superior Court.

Under its foundational Charter, the five-member elected San Diego County Board of Supervisors is the county legislature. The board operates in a legislative, executive, and quasi-judicial capacity. As a legislative authority, it can pass ordinances for the unincorporated areas (ordinances that affect the whole county, like posting of restaurant ratings, must be ratified by the individual city). As an executive body, it can tell the county departments what to do, and how to do it. As a quasi-judicial body, the Board is the final venue of appeal in the local planning process.

As of January 2013 the members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors are:

  • Greg Cox, District 1, Chairman
  • Dianne Jacob, District 2
  • Dave Roberts, District 3
  • Ron Roberts, District 4 (no relation)
  • Bill Horn, District 5

For several decades, ending in 2013, all five supervisors were Republican, white, graduates of San Diego State University, and had been in office since 1995 or earlier. The Board was criticized for this homogeneity, which was made possible because supervisors draw their own district lines and are not subject to term limits.[34] (In 2010 voters put term limits in place, but they only apply going forward, so that each incumbent supervisor can serve an additional two terms before being termed out.[35]) That pattern was broken in 2013 when Slater-Price retired; she was replaced by Democrat Dave Roberts, who won election to the seat in November 2012 and was inaugurated in January 2013.[36]

The San Diego County Code is the codified law of San Diego County in the form of ordinances passed by the Board of Supervisors. The Administrative Code establishing the powers and duties of all officers and the procedures and rules of operation of all departments.

The county motto is "The noblest motive is the public good." County government offices are housed in the historic County Administration Building, constructed in 1935-1938 with funding from the Works Progress Administration.[37]

Politics[edit]

San Diego County vote
by party in presidential elections
Year GOP DEM Others
2012 45.2% 536,406 52.7% 626,373 2.1% 25,270
2008 44.1% 539,939 54.3% 664,685 1.7% 19,270
2004 52.5% 596,033 46.4% 526,437 1.1% 12,378
2000 49.6% 475,736 45.7% 437,666 4.7% 45,232
1996 45.8% 402,876 44.1% 389,964 10.3% 91,311
1992 35.7% 352,125 37.2% 367,397 27.1% 267,124
1988 60.2% 523,143 38.3% 333,264 1.5% 12,788
1984 65.3% 502,344 33.4% 257,029 1.3% 9,894
1980 60.8% 435,910 27.3% 195,410 11.9% 85,546
1976 55.7% 353,302 41.6% 263,654 2.7% 16,839
1972 61.8% 371,627 34.3% 206,455 3.8% 23,055
1968 56.3% 261,540 36.1% 167,669 7.7% 35,654
1964 50.3% 214,445 49.7% 211,808 0.0% 33
1960 56.4% 233,045 43.3% 171,259 0.3% 1,106
1956 64.5% 195,742 35.2% 106,716 0.4% 1,147
1952 63.5% 186,091 35.9% 105,255 0.6% 1,688
1948 49.4% 101,552 47.8% 98,217 2.8% 5,690
1944 45.4% 75,746 53.9% 89,959 0.6% 1,059
1940 43.3% 55,434 55.6% 71,188 1.2% 1,488
1936 35.0% 35,686 63.5% 64,628 1.5% 1,540
1932 41.5% 35,305 53.6% 45,622 5.0% 4,223
1928 67.1% 47,769 32.0% 22,749 0.9% 633
1924 49.0% 22,726 6.4% 2,944 44.7% 20,721
1920 63.8% 19,826 27.3% 8,478 9.0% 2,783

San Diego County has historically been thought of as a Republican stronghold. The Republican presidential nominee carried the county in every presidential election from 1948 through 2004, except in 1992 when Bill Clinton won a plurality. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win a majority of votes in San Diego County since World War II; he won a majority of county votes again in 2012.

San Diego County vote
by party in gubernatorial elections
Year GOP DEM
2010 49.8% 452,205 44.0% 399,845
2006 65.5% 509,059 30.2% 234,938
2003 59.5% 485,563 23.6% 192,605
2002 51.7% 342,095 40.6% 268,278
1998 46.3% 340,834 49.5% 364,169
1994 63.4% 477,439 32.0% 240,937
1990 57.1% 383,959 36.4% 244,759
1986 65.2% 381,094 31.5% 184,395
1982 52.8% 330,037 44.6% 279,113
1978 35.9% 197,167 57.5% 316,223
1974 54.2% 249,444 42.8% 196,930
1970 60.1% 253,378 37.5% 158,098
1966 63.8% 252,070 36.2% 142,890
1962 55.8% 201,969 42.4% 153,389

The city of San Diego itself is more Democratic than the county's average and has voted for Democrats Clinton, Gore, Kerry, and Obama, respectively, in the last six presidential elections. In the 2004 presidential election, San Diego, Encinitas, National City, Del Mar, and some other areas voted for John Kerry; San Marcos, Escondido, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Coronado, Santee, Poway, El Cajon, and Vista overwhelmingly backed George W. Bush. Chula Vista, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Solana Beach, and Imperial Beach are considered swing areas of the county – Chula Vista and Imperial Beach narrowly backed Al Gore in 2000 but narrowly voted for Bush in 2004, while Solana Beach switched from Bush in 2000 to Kerry in 2004. La Mesa narrowly voted for Bush both times, and Lemon Grove narrowly went Democratic both times. However, all of these swing areas as well as Oceanside voted for Obama in 2008.

One unique feature of the political scene is the use of Golden Hall, a convention facility next to San Diego's City Hall, as "Election Central." The County Registrar of Voters rents the hall to distribute election results. Supporters and political observers gather to watch the results come in; supporters of the various candidates parade around the hall, carrying signs and chanting; candidates give their victory and concession speeches and host parties for campaign volunteers and donors at the site; and television stations broadcast live from the floor of the convention center.[38] The atmosphere at Election Central on the evening of election day has been compared to the voting portion of a political party national convention.[39]

In the House of Representatives, all of California's 50th, 52nd, and 53rd districts and parts of the 49th and 51st districts are in the county. The seats are held by Republicans Darrell Issa (49th district) and Duncan D. Hunter (50th district) and Democrats Juan Vargas (51st district), Scott Peters (52nd district), and Susan Davis (53rd district).

In the State Assembly, parts of the 71st and 75th districts and all of the 76th-80th districts are in the county. As of January 2013 assemblymembers are: District 71, Brian W. Jones (R); District 75, Marie Waldron (R); District 76, Rocky J. Chavez (R); District 77, Brian Maienschein (R); District 78, Toni Atkins (D); District 79, Shirley Weber (D); and District 80, Ben Hueso (D). [40]

In the State Senate, all of the 39th district and parts of the 36th, 38th and 40th districts are in the county. As of January 2013 senators are: District 36, Joel Anderson (R); District 38, Mark Wyland (R); District 39, Marty Block (D); and District 40, vacant pending special election in May 2013.

On Nov. 4, 2008 San Diego County voted 53.8% for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages, thus restoring Proposition 22 which was overturned by a ruling from the California Supreme Court. However the city of San Diego, along with Del Mar, Encinitas, and Solana Beach, voted against Proposition 8.[41]

Metropolitan Statistical Area[edit]

The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated San Diego County as the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area.[42] The United States Census Bureau has ranked the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 17th most populous metropolitan statistical area and the 18th most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012.[43][44] Greater San Diego ranks as the 38th largest metropolitan area in the Americas.

Demographics[edit]

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1850 798
—
1860 4,324 441.9%
1870 4,951 14.5%
1880 8,018 61.9%
1890 34,987 336.4%
1900 35,090 0.3%
1910 61,665 75.7%
1920 112,248 82.0%
1930 209,659 86.8%
1940 289,348 38.0%
1950 556,808 92.4%
1960 1,033,011 85.5%
1970 1,357,854 31.4%
1980 1,861,846 37.1%
1990 2,498,016 34.2%
2000 2,813,833 12.6%
2010 3,095,313 10.0%
Est. 2011 3,140,060 1.4%

2010[edit]

The 2010 United States Census reported that San Diego County had a population of 3,095,313. The racial makeup of San Diego County was 1,981,442 (64.0%) White, 158,213 (5.1%) African American, 26,340 (0.9%) Native American, 336,091 (10.9%) Asian (4.7% Filipino, 1.6% Chinese, 1.4% Vietnamese, 0.8% Indian, 0.7% Korean, 0.6% Japanese, 0.2% Laotian, 0.2% Cambodian, 0.2% Thai, 0.5% Other Asian), 15,337 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 419,465 (13.6%) from other races, and 158,425 (5.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 991,348 persons (32.0%).[45]

Population reported at 2010 United States Census
The County
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
San Diego County 3,095,313 1,981,442 158,213 26,340 336,091 15,337 419,465 158,425 991,348
Incorporated
cities
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Carlsbad 105,328 87,205 1,379 514 7,460 198 4,189 4,383 13,988
Chula Vista 243,916 130,991 11,219 1,880 35,042 1,351 49,171 14,262 142,066
Coronado 18,912 16,668 399 103 572 55 457 658 2,302
Del Mar 4,161 3,912 10 8 118 3 25 85 175
El Cajon 99,478 68,897 6,306 835 3,561 495 12,552 6,832 28,036
Encinitas 59,518 51,067 361 301 2,323 91 3,339 2,036 8,138
Escondido 143,911 86,876 3,585 1,472 8,740 350 36,507 6,381 70,326
Imperial Beach 26,324 16,467 1,170 266 1,731 188 4,764 1,738 12,893
La Mesa 57,065 40,964 4,399 431 3,289 318 4,326 3,338 11,696
Lemon Grove 25,320 13,072 3,495 225 1,624 275 4,828 1,801 10,435
National City 58,582 24,725 3,054 618 10,699 482 16,175 2,829 36,911
Oceanside 167,086 109,020 7,873 1,385 11,081 2,144 25,886 9,697 59,947
Poway 47,811 36,781 783 265 4,853 106 2,944 2,079 7,508
San Diego 1,307,402 769,971 87,949 7,696 207,944 5,908 161,246 66,688 376,020
San Marcos 83,781 53,235 1,967 591 7,518 322 15,853 4,295 30,697
Santee 53,413 44,083 1,057 409 2,044 253 2,677 2,890 8,699
Solana Beach 12,867 11,039 60 62 513 19 738 436 2,048
Vista 93,834 59,551 3,137 1,103 3,979 677 20,423 4,964 45,380
Census-designated
places
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Alpine 14,236 12,424 167 222 319 39 576 489 2,081
Bonita 12,538 8,382 466 109 1,200 80 1,681 620 5,106
Bonsall 3,982 3,194 67 28 138 10 376 169 893
Borrego Springs 3,429 2,766 20 34 22 5 500 82 1,218
Bostonia 15,379 10,891 1,011 102 375 89 1,781 1,130 3,941
Boulevard 315 272 2 7 3 0 14 17 44
Campo 5,200 3,730 501 83 151 80 305 350 1,157
Camp Pendleton North 10,616 7,530 992 146 299 41 725 883 2,586
Camp Pendleton South 2,684 2,083 114 90 31 6 248 112 794
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix 18,762 14,881 1,108 89 593 96 996 999 3,235
Crest 2,593 2,329 23 21 38 7 90 85 319
Descanso 1,423 1,290 5 29 16 9 46 28 150
Eucalyptus Hills 5,313 4,566 195 58 87 6 187 214 782
Fairbanks Ranch 3,148 2,780 24 7 209 4 34 90 224
Fallbrook 30,534 20,454 489 233 592 71 7,372 1,323 13,800
Granite Hills 3,035 2,617 43 26 45 9 158 137 401
Harbison Canyon 3,841 3,404 12 74 71 6 145 129 623
Hidden Meadows 3,485 2,865 66 11 318 6 93 126 329
Jacumba 561 389 4 15 6 0 114 33 207
Jamul 6,163 5,300 127 28 146 10 294 258 1,188
Julian 1,502 1,341 5 27 12 0 81 36 195
La Presa 34,169 15,064 4,428 282 3,212 410 8,238 2,535 16,150
Lake San Marcos 4,437 3,978 37 20 133 3 186 80 464
Lakeside 20,648 17,545 235 181 351 53 1,327 956 3,627
Mount Laguna 57 55 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
Pine Valley 1,510 1,408 6 6 16 1 20 53 154
Potrero 656 338 0 8 0 3 281 26 499
Rainbow 1,832 1,324 19 12 43 12 371 51 665
Ramona 20,292 15,887 139 224 279 71 2,965 727 6,334
Rancho San Diego 21,208 17,535 817 105 940 56 739 1,016 3,117
Rancho Santa Fe 3,117 2,910 10 1 87 4 45 60 176
San Diego Country Estates 10,109 9,107 91 90 147 34 276 364 1,126
Spring Valley 28,205 16,781 3,131 237 1,660 236 4,332 1,828 9,196
Valley Center 9,277 6,785 84 188 295 16 1,484 425 2,581
Winter Gardens 20,631 16,845 409 234 345 95 1,616 1,087 4,289
Unincorporated
communities
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
All others not CDPs (combined) 161,717 117,868 5,163 5,149 10,820 534 15,668 6,515 36,431

2009[edit]

As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, there were 3,053,793 people, 1,067,846 households, and 663,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 670 people per square mile (259/km²). There were 1,142,245 housing units at an average density of 248 per square mile (96/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.4% White American, 5.6% Black or African American, 1% Native American, 10.4% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 10.3% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. 31.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 67.0% spoke only English at home; 21.9% spoke Spanish, 3.1% Tagalog and 1.2% Vietnamese.

2000[edit]

In 2000 there were 994,677 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,067, and the median income for a family was $53,438. Males had a median income of $36,952 versus $30,356 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,926. About 8.9% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

In 2000, only about 3% of San Diego County residents left the county for work while 40,000 people commuted into the metropolitan area.[46]

Current estimates[edit]

According to estimates by the San Diego Association of Governments, the median household income of San Diego County in 2005 was $64,273 (not adjusted for inflation). When adjusted for inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census data above), the median household income was $52,192.

Crime statistics[edit]

Crime statistics for 2005 (reported by the sheriff's office or police):[47]

  • Murders: 105
  • Rapes: 86
  • Robberies: 270
  • Assaults: 1220
  • Burglaries: 2469
  • Thefts: 4626
  • Auto thefts: 2084

See also[edit]

Portal icon Southern California portal
Portal icon California portal
Portal icon San Diego County portal

References[edit]

 Constructs such as ibid., loc. cit. and idem are discouraged by Wikipedia's style guide for footnotes, as they are easily broken. Please improve this article by replacing them with named references (quick guide), or an abbreviated title. (May 2010)
  1. ^ "Chronology". California Counties. California State Association of Counties. Retrieved 2012-05-14. 
  2. ^ climate map
  3. ^ [1] Economics
  4. ^ kumeyaay website
  5. ^ San Diego Historical Society
  6. ^ Journal of San Diego History, October 1967
  7. ^ www.missionscalifornia.com
  8. ^ a b Coy, Owen C.; PhD (1923). California County Boundaries. Berkeley: California Historical Commission. p. 221. ASIN B000GRBCXG. 
  9. ^ Ibid. 207
  10. ^ Ibid. 113
  11. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved February 13, 2011. 
  12. ^ [2]
  13. ^ Gerber, James ed. Economic Profile of the San Diego-Tijuana Region: Characteristics for Investment and Governance Decisions. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias. 1995. p.11
  14. ^ The California Chaparral Field Institute
  15. ^ M. Kottek; J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel (2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated". Meteorol. Z. 15: 259–263. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. Retrieved April 22, 2009. 
  16. ^ UCSD
  17. ^ "Monthly Averages for San Diego, CA". The Weather Channel. Retrieved April 22, 2009. 
  18. ^ "Monthly Averages for El Cajon, CA". The Weather Channel. Retrieved April 22, 2009. 
  19. ^ "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 15, 2011. 
  20. ^ "San Diego/Lindbergh Field CA Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 14, 2013. 
  21. ^ University of San Diego
  22. ^ San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex website
  23. ^ MountainZone.com
  24. ^ San Diego County Board of Education
  25. ^ http://www.sdcl.org/aboutus.html
  26. ^ http://dbpcosdcsgt.co.san-diego.ca.us/screens/AR2010/index.html
  27. ^ Lewis, Connie (September 27, 2004). "Cruise Ships Face Stiffer Anti-Pollution Policies". San Diego Business Journal. Retrieved April 22, 2009. 
  28. ^ San Diego Metro Magazine
  29. ^ "San Diego Economy". CityData.com. 
  30. ^ Estes, Kenneth W. (1999). The Marine Officer's Guide – Sixth Edition. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 176. ISBN 1-55750-567-5. 
  31. ^ "Top 100 Newspapers in the United States". Audit Bureau of Circulation. Retrieved March 13, 2010. 
  32. ^ California Government Code § 23004
  33. ^ "About County Government". Guide to Government. League of Women Voters of California. Retrieved 26 December 2012. 
  34. ^ "Supervisor's shameless self-preservation". San Diego Union Tribune. June 30, 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2012. 
  35. ^ Orr, Katie (June 9, 2010). "Voters Approve Term Limits for Supervisors". KPBS. Retrieved 28 November 2012. 
  36. ^ Perry, Tony (November 23, 2012). "Dave Roberts brings diversity to the San Diego County supervisors". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 November 2012. 
  37. ^ "The County Administration Center". San Diego County webpage. Retrieved 6 January 2013. 
  38. ^ Libby, Sarah (November 5, 2012). "Where to Find Us on Election Day". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 
  39. ^ Amid the celebrations, farewell | The San Diego Union-Tribune
  40. ^ "State Assemblymember". General Election, Tuesday, November 5, 2012. California Secretary of State. Retrieved 6 January 2013. 
  41. ^ San Diego County Proposition 8 Results by Community
  42. ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas". United States Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013. 
  43. ^ "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012" (CSV). 2012 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013. 
  44. ^ "Table 2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012" (CSV). 2012 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013. 
  45. ^ "2010 Census P.L. 94-171 Summary File Data". United States Census Bureau. 
  46. ^ San Diego County Commute
  47. ^ "city-data – San_Diego_County-CA". analyzed data from numerous sources. Retrieved April 18, 2009. 

Further reading[edit]

  • Pryde, Philip R. San Diego: An Introduction to the Region (4th ed. 2004), a historical geography

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 33°01′N 116°46′W / 33.02°N 116.77°W / 33.02; -116.77

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